A 64-year-old Palestinian activist accused by Israel and a UK MP of being a senior Hamas operative is chairing an organisation involved in coordinating large-scale pro-Palestine demonstrations in London while working as a presenter on an Arabic-language television channel.
Zaher Birawi, originally from the West Bank, leads the Palestine Forum in Britain (PFB), one of six groups in the Palestine Coalition that has organised at least 20 major rallies in central London throughout 2025.
In October 2023, Labour MP Christian Wakeford used parliamentary privilege to name Birawi as one of four “senior Hamas operatives” active in the UK, warning that their presence posed a “serious national security risk” given Hamas’s proscription as a terrorist organisation since 2021.
Israel has designated Birawi as a “high-ranking, well-known Hamas operative,” citing his involvement in Gaza flotilla activism and ties to Hamas figures.
Birawi has denied the allegations, describing them as unfounded, and has opposed the UK’s ban on Hamas, arguing it excludes key Palestinian voices from peace efforts.
In addition to his role at the PFB, Birawi presents on an Arabic-language satellite channel based in London. He was photographed in 2012 alongside Ismail Haniyeh, the late Hamas political leader assassinated in Tehran in 2024, and has shared content marking Hamas milestones.
At a recent Palestine Festival in London, Birawi stated: “The essence of the battle is not decided in the corridors of biased politics, but rather it lies in the resilience of men and women who refuse to be broken. The people realised that rights are seized, not begged for, and the homeland will not be retrieved by waiting.”
Another figure named by Wakeford, Ziad El Aloul—with past leadership ties to the PFB—has been photographed marching alongside former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. On October 7, 2023, El Aloul shared Hamas footage celebrating the attacks “by land, air and sea,” along with images of militants in Israeli communities.
The PFB’s current vice-chairman, Adnan Hmidan, has reportedly referred to the October 7 attacks as a “normal situation” and expressed admiration for Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin.
These revelations highlight ongoing concerns over alleged Hamas-linked networks influencing pro-Palestine activism in the UK.